Fruits & Vegetables Boost Lung Function

Medpage Today reported on a recent study looking at diet and lung function, which found a significant benefit for those eating more fruit and vegetables.

"Low dietary fiber intake was associated with reduced lung function, suggesting that eating a diet rich in fiber may protect against lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and even asthma...adults with the highest fiber consumption were more likely to have normal lung function and they were less likely to have airway restrictions."

While researchers believe the fiber in fruits and vegetables was associated with the benefits to lung health, they did not find the same benefit for those eating whole grains.

"Dietary fiber has been shown to exhibit both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, which have been implicated in both the development and progression of lung disease."

"These findings are pretty consistent with several other [observational] studies examining fiber and lung function...We found an association with fruits and vegetables, but not cereal grains." 

Fruits and vegetables contain a variety of nutrients in addition to fiber that benefit the whole body. Try to include at least a serving of a whole fruit or vegetable in each meal and snack you eat. Let fruits and vegetables give your lungs (and whole body) a boost.